Quote Originally Posted by E-Stat
We have different points of reference. None of the twenty or so IMAX theatres I've attended has sound even approaching the resolution of the best audio I've heard. Zero depth and no finesse. Loud horns that no one would ever mistake for the live unamplified event. Everything sounds electronic. What do you expect from the JBL drivers used by Sonics Associates?
You are comparing apples and oranges here. The purpose of a theatrical sound system is not to sound as good as a home based audio system, but to cover many seats with good sound as possible. Some theatrical systems are better at this than others. Sonic Associates systems don't use JBL drivers, their whole sound system was totally proprietary down to the drivers. The fake IMAX uses a JBL based theatrical system.


Fake IMAX? What is that?
Fake IMAX= digital files at 2k resolution, a JBL based sound system, and smaller screen

Real IMAX= 70mm film set on its side, 8 story screen, and the custom sound system built by Sonic Associates.


Above the "typical theatre sound system". That isn't saying much since that sucks! In nearly twenty years of attending IMAX films (for which the video is incredible), the audio has never rendered the resolution or spatial characteristics I've heard in countless audio systems. As I indicated earlier, it is powerful and loud. Quantitative, not qualitative. It is all about the picture. Which is truly incredible as I've noted. Avatar is a work of art!
Another apples and oranges comparison. A audio system (especially a two channel system) is design to deliver its best output to one seat in room sizes a lot smaller than a movie theater. A movie theater sound system does not have that luxury.

The spatial characteristic you get from a home audio system is generated by reflections within the room. Home audio speakers can only acheive the spatial characteristics you describe by being located away from the walls. The more you push the speaker system towards the walls, the less spatial effect you will hear because you are turning a reflective pattern into a single event to the ears, as apposed to a multiple event with longer reflective paths to the ears. All depth from a two channel audio system comes from in front of you, and basically very little to none from the rear.

Theaterical speaker systems are built into baffles which prevent any rearward reflection event from happening. Hence the lack of rear depth. Depth is gained by pulling the signals "into" the room via the surround speakers.

Soundtracks, and music tracks are built totally different. Music is a event recorder, and soundtracks are made to match the the action on the screen. Music recordings are continual processes, and film soundtracks are sewn together from different events. Even if the quality of the systems were the same, you cannot compare a recording event to a manufactured recording. Audio is mixed one way, and film a completely different way.

It is not realistic or even logical to compare a home audio system to a multichannel theatrical sound system. What each has to accomplish within their environment is of opposite polarity, and almost everything about the listening experience is polar opposite as well. This is not a credible comparison, and it is illogical to frame it this way. Theatrical sound systems should be compared against other theatrical systems. A JBL theatrical system versus a Klipsch theatrical system is more credible because you are comparing systems that do the same thing in the same environment.


Kewl, dude! The multi-projector Cinerama of the 60s I saw (Grand Prix, Sound of Music, etc) has never matched the video resolution of the huge lateral 70mm format. It is a pity the sound is not even in the same class.

rw
If you really think that the audio on magnetic tape with a frequency response of 30-15khz, restricted dynamics in comparison to digital, complete with wow and flutter as the film goes through the projector, with a two way Altec based speaker system full of distortion is comparable to lossless digital sound with a frequency response of 20-20khz, no wow or flutter, coming through a 4 way custom speaker system with a fraction of the distortion is better sound, all I can say is nostalgia dominates your hearing capabilites more than reality.

Todays sound systems are lower in distortion, wider in frequency response, and have more controlled coverage patterns that require less acoustical tweaking than those old 2 way systems. Todays horns sound less "horn like" than the old systems. The bass response of a typical screen speaker is much lower than the old system (40hz versus 80hz). Amplifiers are lower in distortion than those older amps, and clarity of the overall system is far ahead today than back then.